


Death's Apprentice

by 1Kamiro7



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:27:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25835728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1Kamiro7/pseuds/1Kamiro7
Summary: Those with silver eyes are said to lead lives of warriors. A know saying around Remnant. But Ruby was never ready for the day she met her mentor, and never guessed that they'd be Death herself. (OP Ruby) (Also on Fanfiction)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	1. Chp.1 - Ruby's Mentor

Ruby Rose, age 7, stood in front of her mother’s monument. It was their tribute to her memory. She stood there and wondered what she would be doing with them now, her and Yang. Yang was upset with the loss of her mother too, even if she wasn’t her mother through blood, she was better than she could have ever asked. It was lonely, just her, Yang and their dad, but she didn’t really remember much about her mom.

“Mom, if you’re listening, I just wanna say I love you, and that Yang will be going to Signal soon, so it’ll just be me and dad here in Patch,” Ruby spoke aloud, “Yang’s pretty excited, I mean, I would too, but that just means I have less time to spend with her, so really…” Ruby trailed off. “I just really wish you were here,” Ruby concluded.

Ruby closed her eyes, imagining her sister and father. She didn’t notice how the winds began to pick up and the fallen Autumn leaves and flung them around. She paid no attention to her red cloak whipping around her legs, because, after all, it was just the wind. But it wasn’t just the wind. A pair of grey, orange-souled boots touched down on the golden covered ground, giving a slight crinkle of the leaves. Ruby spun around to see who it was.

Standing there was a woman who Ruby only came up to her chest. Ruby could tell she was a girl even with her grey cloak on and an orange-lined hood drawn. Bits of black hair dripped out from under the hood, orange-tinted further on. There was a crow with glowing green eyes on her shoulder.

“Good evening.” The stranger greeted.

“Wh-who are you?” Ruby asked, apprehensively.

“Guess manners will be first on the agenda,” The figure murmured before clearing their throat. “My name is Grim.” The girl offered her hand. Ruby cautiously took it and they shook hands.

“H-hi, I’m Ruby…”

“Oh, I know.” Grim smiled behind her hood. “That’s why I’m here.”

“What do you want?” Ruby felt a sense of dread.

“To Train you.” She said flatly. Ruby’s fear was replaced with confusion.

“To train me? Why?”

Grim’s hand reached for her hood. She lowered it and opened her eyes. Ruby Gasped.

“I never believe wasted potential…” Grim told her, her silvers eyes, glistening.

* * *

**Ruby: Age 9**

A boot slammed into Ruby’s side as she doubled over. Grim stood over her, her cloak hung over a tree while they sparred. Grim had been teaching her since their first encounter at her mother’s grave.

“Stand up Ruby. You need to give it more effort than that.” Grim chastised.

“I just don’t want dad to know.” Ruby offered weakly, Grim scoffed.

“You know I can heal you, so that’s not gonna save you from fighting me,” Grim told her as she threw a left hook at Ruby, who blocked it with a grunt. “You’re fast, Ruby. Dodge, don’t block. Block only if you can use it,” Ruby fired a kick. Grim blocked it and promptly grabbed her leg and threw her to the ground. “Never stop your momentum, if you fall, keep with the momentum and get back up.”

It had been like this for two years now. Grim would train Ruby every weekend, for four hours a night, sharpening her skills. Even if Half of it was hand-to-hand spars, reflex enhancement and physical conditioning. The other half was academic-focused and strategy. Ruby was reluctant and apprehensive at first but quickly got over it after she realized how nice Grim was. Grim was a stern and blunt teacher, but also a fun person to be around, and told great jokes, unlike Yang’s unbearable puns.

Ruby scrambled to her feet and went jabbed Grim in the side, who dodged it. Almost.

“Hey, good one,” Grim congratulated, “We’ll stop here for tonight.” Grim walked over to the tree that held her and Ruby’s cloaks and threw Ruby’s over to her. As Ruby reattached the cloak, Grim walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

“Good work Ruby, you‘re getting better, …ever so slowly.” Grim praised backhandedly. Ruby beamed all the same.

“Thanks, Grim!” Ruby said before hopping off.

“Ruby.” Grim stopped her. Ruby spun her head around. “We’re beginning Aura training next week,” Grim told her. Ruby’s eyes grew wide and so did her smile. Grim smiled and shook her head. “I’ll see you around, Ruby.” She said, soon followed by Ruby zipping off.

Grim walked over to the tree line and picked her extravagant black scythe back up, as well as her two, smaller scythes before drawing her hood and whistling for her Dust, her crow, who flew down and began encircling her. As he did, he left black feathers behind along with black ash. Dust continued until Grim was obscured from sight, and, when the feathers settled…

They were gone.

* * *

**Ruby: Age 11**

“Ruby.” Grim approached her student after an hour of training. Ruby turned her head up to Grim from her sitting position. “It’s time I teach you the next step of Aura emission.”

“Really?!” Ruby exclaimed. Grim nodded which elicited squealing from Ruby.

“Ruby.”

“Yes?”

“You have no idea what I mean, do you?”

“Nope!” Ruby smiled as Grim sighed and sweatdropped.

“Tell me what aura is, how it is generated, and what it can do,” Grim asked.

“Aura is a physical manifestation of our souls, it is generated by our souls and the greater one’s soul, the more aura they can produce. Aura can be used as a shield that prevents attacks from damaging oneself, and gives each person a special ability, called a semblance.” Ruby stated.

Grim smiled, “Good, it seems you have been listening during my lessons. Now, what is your semblance?”

“Speed. I can increase my speed but lack some ability to react during it.”

Grim raised an eyebrow.

“A-and I make rose petals as a by-product of it.”

“Very good. Next question. Why is that your semblance?” Grim questioned.

“Because… because… umm…” Ruby trailed off, scrunching her face.

Grim chuckled. “I’ll give you a hint: your semblance is a reflection of your soul.” This only resulted in Ruby scrunching her face up more in thought. “Okay stop that. Your semblance is speed because you are so energetic. Much like how your sister’s is retaliation because of how she is short-tempered.” Grim explained. “So summary: aura is soul.” Grim sat down next to Ruby. “And silver eyes are soul conductors.” Ruby listened on with awe and intrigue. “It is commonly believed that the silver eyes are cosmetic, and that ‘those with silver eyes are believed to lead the life of a warrior’. Kind of how people believe that four-leaf clovers are lucky.” Grim continued.

“People who know the run-of-the-mill silver eye wielder knows how they are able to petrify the creatures of grimm. This, however, is only a simple impulse that occurs when a great deal of emotion is felt. It can be trained to require less emotion inputted but is relatively underwhelming in comparison to the other powers on offer.” Grim smiled at Ruby’s shocked reaction. Grim then jumped up and put a hand out to Ruby. “So! Ready to learn how to fly?”

**3 minutes later…**

Grim and Ruby were stripped down to their sports bras and tights.

“Do we have to do this like this?” Ruby asked, blushing in embarrassment.

“Yes,” Grim answered bluntly.

“Whhhyyy? I feel, exposed…”

“Because it’s easier to begin without any encumberment, it makes the fourth and fifth steps easier to handle.” Grim pointed a finger out at Ruby. “Step 1! Gather your aura up to your eyes, like how I trained you to dense your aura in areas you’re about to be hit.” Grim demonstrated, and a green misty glow surrounded her and then retracted into her closed eyes. Ruby attempted to copy it, and, if not slower, she did so with a red and flowery glow.

“Step 2!” Grim called “Refine your aura in your eyes, this will create refined soul energy that is more powerful than regular aura, and more versatile than semblance. You should be able to do it by imagining you’re removing dirt from water.” Grim explained. Ruby did as her teacher instructed, feeling a sense of euphoria as she did so, beginning to tremble. “Do not succumb to the feeling,” Grim told her, sensing her reaction, “Your body has never had pure soul energy in its physical system before, it will begin to go away after use.” Ruby did as she was instructed, purging the feeling from herself.

“Step 3! Flow the energy back through your body, such as you would aura.” Ruby did as Grim did, trying her best to focus on it and not the best Damn FEELING EVE-

No! Focus!

“Step four!” As Ruby opened her eyes again, she saw Grim was covered in a white glow. She looked down at herself and saw the same glow before it faded. “To fly, you need to use your new energy to propel yourself. Imagine you have a magnet on your feet and it’s repelling you away from the ground, and then attempt to hover. Like so,” Grim then slowly floated about two metres of the ground.

“Whoa…” Ruby gasped.

“Whoa indeed Ruby, and if you wanna give this a go, you must do as I told you.” Grim reminded. Ruby did so and shakily floated off the ground. It was like balancing on a bike but standing up. She then tried to propel herself forward, using the same concept but ended up launching herself into a tree. Dust began cawing as if he was laughing at her failed attempt to fly. Ruby scowled at him.

“Shut up Dust.”

“And that’s why we begin with just hovering, Ruby,” Grim smirked. Ruby scowled at her as well. Before she chuckled, grinning back.

Ruby loved training with Grim.

* * *

**Ruby: Age 12**

Ruby trudged home after another night of intense training with Grim. She was mentally and physically exhausted. Since Ruby had made her Scyther-rifle, Grim had been insistent that they trained with it. Mid-air. Whilst flying. It wasn’t too hard, but when Grim had introduced things such as:

Reciting History mid-battle

Soul-infused weaponry

Special attacks

And Soul constructs,

It had gotten quite demanding. She was also beginning to take time to have her do leadership training, even at Ruby’s objection. Grim’s reasoning was ‘Just because you aren’t a leader, doesn’t mean you can’t lead’.

Grim had also been making Ruby train her semblance as well, so that it now made her overall agility faster instead of her outwrite movement.

And finally, Dust crow-laughing at her every failed attempt did not help. Stupid bird…

“What’cha doing there, Rubes?” Yang asked her, appearing out of nowhere beside their house, face serious.

“AH!” Ruby yelped and leapt in fright. “Yang! W-what are you doing up?” Ruby asked her sister, sweating profusely.

“Not much, got up to go to the toilet, noticed your bed empty,” Yang said. She was toying with Ruby. “What about you?”

“O-oh, you know, just out for a late-night stroll!” Ruby shrugged, somehow sweating more.

“With Your combat outfit and Crescent Rose?” Yang raised an eyebrow, suspiciously.

“Well, wouldn’t want anything terrible to happen, now would we?” Ruby began trying to scoot around Yang.

“Okay… If you say so…” Yang accepted, knowing that she was far from done with interrogating Ruby on the topic.

“See you tomorrow Yang!” Rube ran away without room for any further questions.

* * *

**The Next Day…**

Yang had dragged Ruby out to a training field a fair distance from their house.

“Yang, where are we going?” Ruby asked Yang as they followed the winding dirt track.

“We’re going to do some training. You vs. me.” Yang called behind her. Ruby groaned loudly. Yang only trained with Ruby when one of three things occurred: one, Yang was in a bad mood. Two, Yang wanted to get information out of Ruby. Or three, Yang just felt like tormenting her. And while none of them were mutually exclusive, she had a feeling it was just number two. They reached the allotted training ground, surrounded by the green spring trees.

“Is this about last night Yang? I told you, I was taking a walk!” Ruby pleaded.

“And I completely believe you, this is just a friendly spar,” Yang told her with an undertone of sarcasm. Ruby groaned. The only way to get out of this was either to tell Yang what she was really doing or beat her to the point of exhaustion.

They hadn’t had a spar since before Yang went off to Signal, so it was anybody’s guess who’d win. On one hand, Yang had more experience than Ruby. On the other, Ruby had been training with a one; Grim R.

They stood opposite sides of the clearing and readied their weapons. Yang took her classic brawler stance, one fist in front of the other, While Ruby used one of the stances Grim taught her. A sprinting position with Crescent Rose over her shoulder, blade pointing away from her, specifically used for countering close-range fighters. Yang snorted.

“What’s that stance, Ruby?” Yang snickered “I never seen Uncle Crow do one like that, and it looks ridiculous.”

Ruby stuck a finger out at Yang. “Laugh now sister! For with my newfound strength I will beat you and never tell you what I was doing last night!”

“So, you admit you were doing something last night?” Yang pointed out. Ruby stood there, shocked for a moment before facepalming.

“Grim is going to yell at me for this one,” Ruby muttered.

Yang then charged with no warning, but her reflexes of Grim launching even faster surprise-attacks allowed her to dodge it with ease. She then stuck Crescent Rose into the ground and spun around, bicycle kicking Yang in the back of the head. Yang staggered, not only beyond surprised but actually took some decent damage from the attack. That was because Ruby had been purifying her aura secretly on the way there, stockpiling more than enough to take Yang head-on, and by using it on her blows, she could easily incapacitate her. The only problem would be doing so without raising Yang’s suspicion any further.

“Wow, Ruby! Good hit, I really felt that one!” Yang praised. Ruby ignored it due to how Grim used it to have her let her guard down. Ruby swung her scythe so that the sniper barrel faced Yang. Ruby fire three shots in quick succession, two of which Yang dodged, the third catching her in the abdomen, blasting even more of her aura away.

Yang was at a loss. The last time she actually fought Ruby was six years ago. How had she come so far in that time? Sure, she was going to Signal too, but Yang had both more experience and physical power, practically dwarfing Ruby. But Ruby was not only just holding her own but handing Yang’s ass to her. Any time she went for a blow, Ruby dodged it effortlessly and either counter attacked with her giant scythe or hit her with melee blows that could rival her own. Damn, they actually hurt! Yang knew she was on the losing side as her semblance was beginning to activate, and Ruby had not a scratch on her.

Yang began to swing wildly. Her semblance increased the power of her blows, but not the ability to hit them. Which Ruby immediately took advantage of. More dodging and parrying later left a battered and beaten Yang panting.

“C’mon, Yang. You’re exhausted, just admit that you lost.” Ruby pleaded. Yang just nodded dumbly before flopping over on her back.

“Man, Rubes…” Yang said with what little breath she had left, “How’d you get so good?”

“I’ve been training,” Ruby told her truthfully, albeit not the whole truth.

“Well, you’ve been training pretty damn well. Man! Not even dad left me this bashed up after our spars!” Yang complimented. Her face fell and she looked up at Ruby. “What have you been training to be this good?”

Ruby sat down next to Yang, but, looked away from her. It wasn’t like she Didn’t want to answer Yang’s questions, she wanted to answer them so badly…

Actually, Screw it! Grim be dammed, she was going to tell Yang.

“Well, Yang,” Ruby began “somebody’s been training me these past six years. They…”

“…Specifically told you not to discuss your training.” Ruby whipped around to see Grim standing there with Dust perched on her shoulder. “To anyone.” She finished as Dust cawed.

“Shut up you stupid bird…” Ruby muttered.

“Ruby, who is this?” Yang asked, uneasy with the appearance of this new figure.

“Yang, this is Grimm, she’s been training me.” She glanced to Grim. Grim moved forward to look at Yang. She gave her a smile once she was done, satisfied with what she saw. But Yang was only focused on one thing.

“You… have silver eyes…”

“Yes, I am quite aware,” Grim replied matter-a-factly. “I’ve been training your sister here on how to use hers. Properly.” She turned to Ruby. “As previously mentioned, however, I did instruct her not to divulge her training to others. As a consequence of this action, I believe that I can no longer trust her with my secrets and conclude her training here and now.”

Ruby’s heart shattered. “W-what?”

“You can’t do that!” Yang shouted at Grim, not caring that she barely met her. “She just didn’t want me to worry!”

“Is that so?” Grim remarked. “Ruby, is what your sister says true?”

Ruby got over her shock, tears welling in her eyes at the possibility of her training ending. “Yes. I-I couldn’t keep my sister in the dark any longer! She’s my sister and I trust her!”

Grim smiled. “Well done. I was wondering when you would have the courage to stand up to me and put your faith in those you care about.”

“Wait what?” Ruby asked, confused as to what was happening.

“This was a test, Ruby. It tested the strength of resolve, your moral compass, and you trust in others. You succeeded on all fronts.” Grim turned to Yang. “Yang Xio-Long, pleasure to meet you, I am Grim. I’ve like to formally invite you to be present in our training sessions. Be aware I will not train you, but you are more than welcome to watch.”

“Um… Okay?” Yang shrugged, not sure how to respond after such an abrupt 180 in the tone in the conversation.

“So, I get to keep training with you?” Ruby was apprehensive asking the question.

“Yes. That was never in question, to begin with.” Grim answered. Ruby beamed.

“YES! THANK YOU GRIM!” Ruby cheered as she leapt up into the air and stayed there, causing Yang’s jaw to drop.

“R-Ruby! You’re flying!” She exclaimed.

“I know!” Ruby grinned idiotically back at Yang. Dust Cawed.

“Shut up Dust.”

* * *

**Ruby: Age 13 (Today!)**

“So Ruby, who’s present you gonna open first?”

Ruby Looked between the two presents that her father had presented to her after they and Yang had demolished the cake they had brought.

“Hold on there you two,” Yang said, drawing their attention away from the two gifts and to a third Yang was carrying. “Somebody _special_ asked me to make sure I get this to Ruby.”

Ruby’s eyes lit up. “Ah! Was is Grim?! Did she give me a present?!”

“Yep!”

Tai chuckled. “I’m still confused on who this person is but you two seem to be fine with it so least I can do is trust you.”

Ruby hastily nabbed the present from yang and tore away the shiny black wrapping paper. Under it was two varnished wooden boxes, each with two golden latches on them. She flipped the latches on the rectangular one first and peeked inside. Laying on a bed of red silk, were two beautifully crafted hand cannons. One was black with a white skull on either side of the barrel and the name ‘Executioner’ etched on the onyx handle. The other was cut from a crystal and slotted into a holster that glimmered in the light, the name ‘Cremator’ written on it. There was a note accompanying the exquisite firearms.

_‘Dear Ruby, Happy Birthday._

_I believe it is finally time to equip you with a few weapons of my own, special, design._

_The black hand cannon is Executioner, will burrow its rounds deem into flesh and shatter armour with ease. Any bullets fired with this will have some tracking capabilities, so don’t worry if you’re aim is a little off._

_The more… unconventional, one is Cremator. While I never wish you must face another person in serious combat, Cremator is made for such a task. The energy blasts it fires deal extra damage to auras and after six consecutive shots with it will tamper with an opponent’s semblance. It also has the added benefit of siphoning that little extra aura damage to your own, so there’s that._

_I have never been one for particularly coherent messages, so I will leave you with this;_

_Happy Birthday, Ruby, have the weekend off.’_

Ruby’s mouth was gaping at the explanation of the guns she now held. With every fibre of her being telling her ‘NO!’, she set the guns back to open the other box from Grim. Inside this box was a belt with a holster on either side, perfectly made to suit the guns she had just received. But what really caught her attention was the skull mask on top of it. It had her family rose emblem engraved in red on the forehead.

“Well, seems your friend gave you some pretty fancy things there darling,” Tai broke the silence that Ruby hadn’t even realised was there.

“YANG!” Ruby screamed as she whipped around to her sister, who jumped back at the sudden volume. “Do you want to go test these babies out?!” she waved Executioner and Cremator in excitement.

Yang smirked. “You just want an excuse to whoop my but, don’t you?” Yang asked. Ruby smirked back. Tai looked between his two daughters with mild fear.

“Should I be worried or…” Tai never got to finish as the two girls rushed out the door. “R-Ruby! Your other prese- oh why do I even try.” Tai slumped before straightening up with a smile.

As Ruby and Yang ran down a path to their fighting spot, a figure watched them from the trees.

“She’s really something? Isn’t she?” Grim asked.

“Hmm… Yes she is.” Dust, the crow, answered.

“She will be a great Reaper one day,”

“That she will.”

Grim sighed. “Will you watch over her once I’m gone, Dust?”

“I watched over you for Lissene, didn’t I Crème?”

“I guess you did.” Grim looked back to the now sparring girls.

“I guess you did…”


	2. Chp.2 - Ruby Rose, Reaper Apprentice

Ruby stood in a store reading a magazine whilst listening to music. But she really wasn’t listening to the music, she was listening to the current break-in. Footsteps approached. They yelled at her if she had a death wish. That’s it, just a little closer and…

Ruby teleported behind the thug and preformed a bicycle kick, sending them through the window. She jumped out at alarming speed, pursuing the man mid-air. Ruby then extended Crescent Rose and stuck it into the ground to clothesline the flying man, causing him to slump to the pavement. She then flipped back around and faced the other men and their leader, a man dressed in a white suit with a black bowler hat.

“Hello boys, lovely evening for a stroll, isn’t it?” Ruby joked, following her teachings about siking out one’s opponent.

“Okay then… Get her!” Torchwick commanded.

“Up-bup-bup!” Ruby drew Executioner and Cremator and aimed them leg-level at the goons. “I’m not particularly one for violence, but please drop your weapons before I drop your kneecaps.” Ruby grinned maniacally.

The thugs looked at one-another and hastily dropped their weapons. Torchwick grunted.

“Buffoons, absolutely worthless.” He criticized, twirling his cane.

“I think I told you to drop it, mister.” Ruby stared daggers at Torchwick, her grip tightening.

“Oh! But it’s just like you said, Red. Tis a lovely evening for a stroll, and I mustn’t do so without my trusty…” Torchwick pointed his Can at Ruby and the cap flipped open, “…Cane.”

The cane then shot a burst of fire, similar to that of a firework. Ruby, in the blink of an eye, stowed her two revolvers, grabbed her scyther-rifle and backflipped into the air, completely avoiding the blast. When she landed, Ruby looked around for Torchwick, only to find him scaling the side of the building using a ladder. Ruby smirked and sped off to the building.

As Torchwick reached the rooftop, he found a one: Ruby Rose waiting there for him. She stood firm and had Crescent Rose pointed at him in high-calibre mode.

“Going somewhere?” Ruby said sternly, her eyes narrowing.

Torchwick panted, and then smirked. “Yes, actually. And my ride is here right about… now.” Roman finished just as a bullhead pulled up along the ledge Roman was standing on. With a short hop backwards, Torchwick was on the airship, and then casually strolled into the cockpit. “So long, Red!” He called as he vanished out of sight.

“That little girl is on-par with any huntress I’ve seen, best you take care of her.” He told the pilot as they swapped. The ship rocked violently. The pair looked out the cockpit to see ruby loading a second soul-infused round into Crescent Rose. Torchwick looked at his associate with a deadpanned look. “See what I mean?”

“You’re not getting away that easy!” Ruby yelled as she prepared to fire her second shot into the now exposed wiring of the left wing. But before she did so a woman, with her face shrouded in darkness, appeared in the hanger of the ship and deflected the shot into another portion of the building, creating a giant creator in its wake. The woman smirked behind the shadows.

“Quite interesting indeed…”

The woman’s clothing then lit up as she fired a blast of fire At Ruby, who had no visible intent of dodging it. And she didn’t need to. As the fireball was a metre away from Ruby, it hit an invisible wall that sent a white glowing shockwave int the shape of a bubble around Ruby. A projected semblance shield.

“Roman! Get us out of here!” the woman yelled, realizing if they didn’t leave now, they may not leave at all. Ruby saw the Bullhead pulling away and leapt into the air. She began flying towards the bullhead before a crystal of fire dust flew out of the ship. Ruby quickly attempted to swoop under the explosion but was still too close and was knocked down onto a rooftop.

As she watched the ship disappear into the distance, a figure stepped in front of her. She was a woman wearing a black skirt, white blouse and purple cape. She was blonde with glasses and held a riding crop.

“You’re a huntress…” Ruby stared in awe. She then jumped up hastily.

“Can I have your autograph?!”

* * *

Ruby was now sitting in a small, dark room with a single light whilst being scolded by the huntress who had taken her there.

“I hope you understand your actions tonight will not be taken lightly, young lady!” Glynda berated Ruby who sat, downtrodden, in a metal chair. “I would have intervened as soon as possible if not for… a certain somebody’s request.”

Ruby looked up at Glynda. “Who’s?”

Glynda moved to the door. “You’ll find out right now because he wishes to speak to you.” And with that, Glynda opened the door, revealing a tall man dressed in mainly different shades green who was carrying a mug of what Ruby presumed was coffee and a plate of cookies. He had silver hair that was swept over his face, slightly covering one of his eyes, and wore a pair of spectacles.

“Ruby Rose,” Ozpin said simply as he leant closer to Ruby. “You… Have silver eyes.” Ozpin observed.

“Yes,” Ruby smiled, “Yes I do.”

Ozpin smiled back. He set the plate of cookies down and gestured for Ruby to take some, which she happily obliged. “So! I heard you were a scythe wielder, and quite a good one at that.”

“Yes, I am! Not to boast or anything, but I am downright amazing!” Ruby most certainly did boast.

“So tell me, where would a young girl, like yourself, learn to wield one of the most dangerous weapons ever to grace Remnant?”

“Uh… Um… S-Signal academy! That’s where I go to, I was taught combat there.” Ozpin just stared at her. “Mostly…?” Ruby shrugged awkwardly, “…My uncle, Qrow, also taught me a lot, too.” Ruby hastily, yet smoothly covered her ambiguous answer, taking another cookie as she did so.

“So, why would a lovely girl like you be attending a school to train warriors?” Ozpin asked almost rhetorically, as he already knew the answer.

“Well, I want to become a huntress,” Ruby answered

“And why’s that?”

Ruby looked at him, and then at Glynda. “I don’t think I’m allowed to tell you.”

Ozpin smiled. “Excuse me Glynda, but I would like to have a private word with Ms Rose.” Glynda nodded and left the room so that only Ruby and Ozpin remained. “Do not worry Ms Ruby, I know all about your mentor, Miss R.”

“Y-you do?!” Ruby asked, alarmed.

“Yes, I am one of the extraordinarily few people to be acquainted with her. So should it come to me as a surprise that she comes to me to turn in a favour.” Ozpin slid a letter to Ruby over the table. Ruby took the letter, opened it and read.

_Dear O,_

_I am writing to you because I would like to call upon one of the many favours you so desperately owe me. I have, for some time now, taken on an apprentice (Huk P ohcl lclyf pualuapvu mvy oly av iljvtl tf zbjjlzzvy hz aol ulea Nypt Ylhwly) and have been teaching her how to become an exemplary huntress as well as silver-eye user. However, I fear that her current education is not suited to her heightened knowledge and skills, so that is why I am asking you to permit Ruby entry to Beacon, two years earlier than her standard curriculum. I have the utmost faith that she will exceed your expectations._

_-R._

When Ruby looked up from the letter, she found Ozpin smirking at her gobsmacked face.

“Welcome to Beacon, Ruby.”

* * *

Ruby stood in the airship, watching Patch go past, and now Vale underneath her. Nobody had achieved what she had, two years early in what was the most prestigious Huntsman school in Remnant.

However, her thoughts were cut short, along with her air.

Yang had gripped Ruby in a bear hug that would have crushed Ruby’s spine if it had not been for her aura.

“THIS IS AWESOME!” Yang shouted, drawing varying levels of attention to the pair from the other passengers. “I always knew you’d do something like this, you were bound to pass me academically at some point, but to skip two years and straight into Beacon?!” Yang danced around on the spot. “It’s fucking awesome!”

Ruby giggled at her older sister’s antics. “Thanks, Yang. It feels good going to Beacon. Maybe I’ll actually get a challenge there.” Ruby said wistfully.

Yang gave her a chip on the shoulder. “C’mon Rubes, you can’t blame us all for not having an awesome private mentor and not being able shooting laser beams from our eyeballs.” Yang joked.

“Yaaaaang!” Ruby groaned. “You promised never to say that stuff again, last time you did, Grim went on for a three-hour lecture on silver eys and pure soul manipulation!” Ruby remembered the haunting time that happened.

Yang rubbed the back of her head as she leaned to one side. “Yeah, sorry bout’ that.”

Ruby turned to the windows. “Look, Yang, I don’t want to be treated any more special than I should. Just another student who proved that they were good enough to get into Beacon.”

“Yeah, two years early.” Yang jabbed. Ruby punched her softly on the shoulder, grumpily smiling at her sister.

“Just promise you’ll be here for me,” Ruby asked Yang.

Yang smiled affectionately at Ruby. “You’ve got my word sis.”

“Good, cause I need a punching bag.”

“Aw come on!” 


	3. Chp.3 - The Beautiful Beacon

As the airship docked at Beacon, a particularly weak-bowled blonde rushed out to empty the rest of his stomach that wasn’t already splattered over the ship’s interior. Ruby and Yang walked out, admiring the sight of Beacon academy up close. And it was amazing.

“Look at it, Yang! Oh, it’s so amazing!” Ruby gushed before her eyes travelled downwards and gasped. “Sis! Look at their weapons!”

Yang giggled at her sister. “Calm down Ruby, they’re just weapons,”

“JUST weapons?! I have a severe misunderstanding if you didn’t model your weapon after dad’s gauntlets and Uncle Qrow’s shotgun part, to perfectly incorporate you brawler style with what would be the most dangerous up-close firearm invented?” Ruby critically analysed.

“Whoa there sis, ease up on me will ya?” Yang put her hands up in defence. Ruby smirked at her sister’s defeat. “Man, that battle analyses training Grim put you through really stuck with you, huh?” Ruby didn’t satisfy Yang with an answer. “Look, all I’m saying is that you should have friends besides your sister, three non-sentient objects, a mysterious mentor who has the same name as humanity’s greatest enemy, and a crow.”

“Dust is not my friend.” Ruby pouted, “He makes fun of me.”

Yang rolled her eyes. “Look Grim asked me to help you find some real friends, not just metal ones.”

“Okay… how are we going to do that?” Ruby asked.

“Step one: Leave Ruby alone to see how she does without me while I go hang with my friends,” Yang said as a group of Yang’s friends appeared and they all sped off, leaving Ruby in the dust.

“Wh-what?! Wait! Yang don’t leave me!” Ruby cried after her sister as she disappeared into the distance. “Ohhhh. What am I going to do now-” Ruby suddenly crashed into a baggage cart. “AH!” she cried out as she caught herself with her flight along with saving half the luggage.

“What are you doing you idiot!” a shrill voice filled Ruby’s ears as she winced at the sound.

“Sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was-”

“Well, obviously you weren’t! Do you have any idea what this is!?” a white-haired, white-dressed pale girl shouted at Ruby.

“Luggage?” Ruby sassed.

“Not just any old luggage! Dust! Mined and purified from the Schnee dust quarries!”

“And I care why?” Ruby continued to sass, only leading to the irritation of the girl.

“Because!” The girl waved a loose vial of dust to emphasize her point, “I just **_one_** of these many volatile cases of dust were to-”

Ruby swiftly pinched the top of the dust vial to stop the girl from shaking it. “Hold on there, Snow Cone,”

“Snow cone!?”

“You may want to stop shaking that _volatile case_ of dust around.” Ruby mocked. The girl’s face contorted in rage.

“You are incredibly rude, and I will not-”

“And you’re incredibly bitchy, what’s your point?”

“How dare you! Do you know who I am!?”

“A bossy princess?”

“It’s heiress actually.” A new voice interrupted. The new arrival wore a black buttoned vest with coattails and a single silver button on the front. Underneath was a white, sleeveless, high necked, crop undershirt and white shorts with a zipper on the front of each leg. She had raven black hair with a bow of the same colour sitting atop it.

“Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, the largest private producer of energy propellant in the world.”

Weiss harrumphed. “Well at least somebody recognises someone important when they see them-”

“The same company that uses inhumane production methods, exploits its workforce, and does business with more than several …questionable… partners.” The black-themed girl continued. Weiss began sputtering at the severe call-out to her family. Seeing as there was no way to win the argument, Weiss quickly snatched vial back out of Ruby’s grip and stormed off, tailed by a group of people carrying luggage.

Ruby turned to the stranger. “Hey, thanks for helping out, I’m not sure how much more of that I could take.”

The stranger smiled. “Blake Belladonna.”

“Huh?”

“My name, it’s Blake Belladonna.”

“Oh! Ruby Rose, Reaper Extraordinaire!” Ruby gave a mock-saluted. Blake raised an eyebrow as Ruby awkwardly put her arm down. “Well, I’ll see you around?”

Blake smiled. “Hopefully.” She replied before walking off. Once she was gone Ruby gave a fist-pump.

“Yes! Take that Yang! I’m not as socially stunted as you thought!” Was what Ruby proclaimed right before she tripped.

* * *

After being helped up by a nice boy named Jaune, Ruby made her way to the Reception hall with him, saying goodbye when she spied Yang.

“Hey, little sis! How’d you go?” Yang asked with a smirk. Ruby returned it with a confident smirk of her own.

“Hah! You need to eat your words Yang cuz’ I made two friends already… I think!” She villainously laughed.

“Woah! Good one Rubes, I knew you had it in you!”

Ruby faltered. “Wait! No! This is meant to be the part where I make fun of you and say ‘I told you so’!”

“Too bad, I always believed in you,” Yang told her, rustling her hair.

“Noooo! My sweet precious victory!” Ruby drooped.

“Okay, okay. So who did you make friends with?”

Ruby perked up and scouted the room before pointing at Jaune. “Oh, that’s Jaune! He’s pretty nice but a bit…” Ruby trailed off giving an ‘I don’t know’ look. “…dull? Anyway, the other person I met was Blake Belladonna, she seemed nice, not too sure if I could consider her a friend though.”

“Well you know her, and she seemed friendly, so I say that’ll be a win.”

Ruby groaned. “That’s more than I can say for Weiss Schnee.”

Yang raised an eyebrow. “Schnee? As in Schnee Dust company?”

“Yep.”

“And you said what?”

“I sassed her and called her a bitch.”

_It was then told as a legend, that on that day, a laugh echoed through the halls of Beacon that deafened everyone there. But that is just a tale…_

“You’re kidding!” Yang cried as she rolled around on the floor in fits of laughter, waiting for Ruby to tell her it was all a joke. When she didn’t Yang almost passed out from lack of air as tears rolled down her face. “Only you Ruby! Only you could do something of this scale before you even start at Beacon!”

“It doesn’t help that she’s standing behind me right now,” Ruby said glumly as Yang looked behind her sister and quickly stifled another laughing fit.

“You!” Weiss yelled at Ruby, “I demand that you apologize to me, Now!”

“Okay.”

“Wait what?” Weiss asked confused, not expecting to get this far.

“Look, I think we both overreacted a little and said some stuff we shouldn’t’ve. So, Weiss Schnee, Ruby Rose, apologize for antagonizing you and will restrain myself from doing so in the future.” Ruby apologized. Weiss snapped out of her trance and huffed.

“Very well. As a figure of such high standing as myself, I can realize when I may have let go of my temper a bit. I am sorry.” She shook Ruby’s hand. “By no means does this make us friends.” Wiess stared dead into Ruby’s silver eyes before her own widened a bit.

“Well, it’s better than enemies.” Ruby nodded before a microphone crackled to life.

* * *

As the pair of Xiao-Long/Rose sisters awoke the next morning after an impromptu slumber party in Beacon’s great hall, seeing Blake again and introducing her to Yang, they began their day to become huntresses of Beacon.

“Good morning Yang,” Ruby yawned as she stretched, “How did you sleep?”

“Hngh… go away, dad…” Ruby smiled devilishly at her sleeping sister. She carefully sneaked over to Yang and got right up to her face and gave her nose a tickle. As Yang’s eye’s fluttered open, Ruby sprung.

“ ***BUURRRRRP*** ” Ruby let out a long, quite unfeminine, burb right in Yang’s face which had the desired intention as Yang shot straight up whilst she pinched her nose and tried waving the residual burp away.

“AW! Ruby that was horrible! I can still smell the booze on your breath!” Yang cried, still jealous that Grim had taught Ruby how to safely drink alcohol without a hangover on one of their training trips. Any time Yang tried to mimic it, she ended up being even more hung over, resulting in Tai catching her.

Ruby had apparently snuck a considerable stash of liquor into Beacon, where Ruby had spent the better part of the last night playing a one-sided drinking game where she was the only one who drank. Oum, she envied Ruby.

Meanwhile, Ruby was laughing at her elder sister’s distress.

* * *

“Today is the day!” Ruby exclaimed as she drew her weapon from the lockers, “I can finally make friends the best way I know how; with weapons!”

“That is the only way you know how Ruby,” Yang began ribbing, “And it has made you exactly three friends, all of which you are currently carrying.” Yang’s face softened. “C’mon Ruby, you need some more friends, people to rely on.”

“Ugh, you sound like Grim.”

“Oum knows she’s your voice of reason.”

Ruby glared at her sister. “Suck an egg, Yang.”

“C’mon Rubes, I was just making _a yolk_ ”

Ruby’s glare intensified. “I hate you with every inch of my being.”

“That’s not a lot of inches.”

Ruby promptly shot Yang with Executioner.

* * *

Eventually, all the students congregated at a cliff overlooking the infamous Emerald Forest of Beacon. Living up to its name, the forest glistened with a deep green in every direction.

Each student stood atop a shiny metal plate as Ozpin gave a speech.

“For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest.”

“Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumours about the assignment of ‘teams’.” Glynda Goodwitch continued, “Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates... today.”

“Kind of abrupt, don’t you think?” Ruby whispered to yang, who now had a bruise on her head from shielding Executioner’s attack.

Ozpin went on with his speech. “These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well.”

“Makes sense” Ruby continued to whisper.

“That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years.”

Ruby blanched. “…What?”

“After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you will die.” Ozpin told them seriously. “You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene unless you are on the verge of death itself, so make sure you are antiquely prepared. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. If you do at any point during the initiation decide you cannot complete the task, you may signal for your extraction. This will, however, will result in you not entering Beacon, and will be sent home at the end of the exercise. Are there any questions?”

Jaune raised his hand. “Yeah, um, sir?”

“Yes, Mr Arc?”

“How are we going to get down there?”

“Oh, I am so glad you asked Jaune, Glynda?” Glynda handed Ozpin a tablet. “If you’d please look to your left.”

All the students looked to the leftmost person there, which happened to be a pink-haired girl with three whip-swords strapped to her back. Ozpin tapped a button on his pad which activated a springboard that flung the pink girl right into the forest. All the students looked back to Ozpin.

“That will be how you get to the forest, Mr Arc.”

Jaune slumped.

“Why did I even ask?”


	4. Fight! Fight! Revolution!

“YAAAAHOOOOOOO!!!” Ruby cried as she sped through the air. Flying was great, Ruby had chalked that one up long ago. It was the freest feeling somebody could experience, but unless you had silver eyes or a flight semblance, or maybe a winged faunus, you’d never get to do it.

Ruby smirked deviously at her blatant advantage. She could fly over the whole forest and even hand-pick her partner with her flight.

“Look out!”

Ruby spun around to see a blur of white and yellow streak through the air before it collided with Ruby and sent her crashing to the ground, Ruby still unaware of what hit her. After being flung through multiple branches, she met the earthy ground, covered in leaves and twigs.

“Ugh… Why…” Ruby groaned after all the air was knocked out of her. As her vision become less blurry, she began to see a white blob. As it came more into focus, it kind of seemed to look like…

“Weiss?” Ruby asked.

The only response was a scowl as the heiress looked down on her.

“Is it too much to ask that you already have a partner?”

Weiss sighed. “Unfortunately yes.”

“So we’re partners?”

“Unfortunately yes,” Weiss repeated. Ruby hopped up from her position on the ground.

“Well then, better get going,” Ruby said as she began walking away.

“H-hey! Who put you in charge?!”

Ruby turned back to Weiss. “Well were you going to say anything different?”

Weiss raised a finger to make a point before realizing she would’ve said exactly what Ruby just did.

“Thought so,” Ruby said, bopping Weiss’ nose ash she continued on her way, ignoring Weiss’ cry of protest. Before stopping and seeing Jaune pinned to a tree by a red and gold rifle-spear.

“Uh… Hey there Jaune…” Ruby greeted as she coked her head. Weiss caught up to Ruby and then saw Jaune.

“Why am I not surprised.” She said with mild disappointment.

“Ah! Ruby! Snow Angle~,” Jaune winked at Weiss who responded by rolling her eyes.

“You okay up there Jaune?” Ruby asked, ignoring Weiss’ grumpiness.

“Y-yeah, all fine thanks,” Jaune responded, trying to pull the spear loose.

“You want some help there?”

“Nope! Hngh! I’ve got this!” Jaune continued his fruitless attempts to pull out the spear.

Weiss sighed. “Come on then Ruby, let Arc here do whatever he’s doing and let’s get going, I’m not about to fail my first ever exercise at Beacon.”

“Fair enough,” Ruby shrugged before looking back to Jaune, “See you later Jaune, good luck!”

“Thanks, Ruby!” Jaune called after them as they left. Jaune sagged, not knowing how he was going to get out of this one.

“Hello there, Jaune.” A new voice appeared. Jaune turned his head to see Pyrrha Nikos standing there.

“Oh, hi Pyrrha. This wouldn’t happen to be your spear, would it?”

Pyrrha giggled. “Well that depends, got any spots left on your team?”

“Oh har har, very funny,” Jaune grumbled as he crossed his arms.

* * *

Yang was reloading her shot-gauntlets after a particularly nasty encounter with five ursa, which Blake helped her dispose of the last one.

“So… Got a partner yet?” Yang asked the pseudo-ninja.

“No,” Blake responded shortly. Yang nodded as Blake turned to leave, motioning for Yang to follow. Yang gave a short fist-pump before following.

‘Thank Oum for this piece of ass as my partner.’ Yang dirtily thought as they walked on.

* * *

“So…”

“So.”

“You got anything in that stupid red cloak of yours that can help us?”

“Hey! It’s not stupid!” Ruby retorted to Weiss’s insults.

Currently, Ruby and Weiss were being surrounded by a pack of beowolfs. Weiss held of Myntenaster at the ready, but Ruby was still assessing the situation. Seeing as Executioner was a six-round gun, it would take over ten cylinders to kill all the beowolfs there, as they would each take about four shots. Ruby did a cost-benefit analysis, and determined her best option was a Peacemaker formation, seeing as it was their best bet to get rid of most of the beowolfs before more came. All she had to do was get Weiss to set her up for it. And also not get her shot.

“Hey, Weiss?” Ruby said to her partner.

“What is it?”

“Are you able to freeze the front row of beowolfs?”

Weiss smirked. “Can I?”

“Answer the question!” Ruby hissed.

“Geeze! Yes!”

“Then on my signal, freeze the grim and drop to the ground.”

Weiss huffed. “I hope you know what you’re doing.” She said as she switched her chamber to ice dust. The silence between the two was only broken by the low growls of the encircling beowolfs.

“NOW!” Ruby cried as she folded out Crescent Rose and jumped atop it. Weiss swung Myntenaster in a large sweeping motion, freezing the closest beowolfs before ducking. Atop her scyther-rifle, Ruby recalled Grim’s instructions on the Peacemaker formation.

_“Ruby, the Peacemaker formation is THE way to deal with a group of targets. To do it, you must use either Executioner or Cremator,”_

_“What about Crescent Rose?”_

_“No, it’s not finesse enough for the speed you need in a Peacemaker formation, revolvers are what work best.” Grim took out her own revolver, Duken, and three cartridges. “When using a Peacemaker formation you will need your next cylinder of ammo as you’ll expend the rounds already loaded rather quickly.”_

_“Okay,”_

_“To do the formation itself, it’s a matter of blending the afterimage technique with your shots, but be warned, this continuously drains aura, so don’t use it for too long.”_

Ruby took a breath before Tossing four loaded cylinders into the air.

* * *

Weiss believed this to be a terrible plan. Actually, she couldn’t even call it a plan! Weiss was ducking, but she had no idea for what reason. She was cursing herself for not questioning her braindead partner on more of this plan! Ruby was going to get them both killed!

A short chorus of gunshots came from above Weiss.

On second later, a shower of spent shells fell in front of Weiss. Weiss looked up to see the smoking husks of what were once beowolfs, slowly disintegrating. She whipped round to see Ruby, casually reloading a bulky black revolver. Weiss gaped.

How could somebody have defeated so many grim in just a few seconds?

Without even moving?!

A howl interrupted Weiss’ thoughts.

“And that would be the rest of the pack,” Ruby said to her, stowing the gun away in her left holster. “I brought us enough time, so let’s get moving.” Ruby grabbed Weiss’ hand.

“Hey! What are you-” Weiss was interrupted again, this time by Ruby pulling her along.

In the sky.

Could her partner get any weirder?

* * *

Yang and Blake had made their way through the forest and had reached the temple, now approaching it.

“So…” Yang began, “We’re partners now, wanna talk about anything?”

Blake thought for a moment. “What’s up with your sister?”

Yang faltered. “You mean Ruby?”

“Do you have any other sister attending Beacon?”

“No… Well, Ruby has always been… distant. Not really from dad or me, but just from the rest of the world. I’ve been trying to get her to make new friends lately.” Yang turned to face Blake, “She considers you a friend, y’know?”

Blake smiled. “That’s nice.”

The two reached the temple, gazing at the enlarged chess pieces that sat atop pedestals.

“Well, I guess these are the artefacts.” Blake looked around, “Which one should we pick?”

Yang quickly snatched up a Knight piece. “Well I’ve always considered myself a knight in shining armour,” she smirked flirtatiously.

“Really?” Blake smiled coyly, “You pegged me as a barbaric warrior.”

“Hm. Guess you’re right!” Yang laughed. The pair were interrupted by a high pitch scream that echoed throughout the emerald forest.

“Fuck, I’ll need to replace an eardrum for that!” Yang cursed as she knocked on the side of her head as to get the ringing out of her ears.

“Tell me about it,” Blake replied, before something in the sky caught her attention. Yang noticed this and walked over to Blake.

“What is it, Blake?” Yang asked.

Blake simply pointed to the sky.

* * *

“This was a horrible idea!”

“We’re fine! I’ve still got plenty of aura to carry both of us!”

“That’s not what I’m talking about!”

“What is it then?!”

“I’m talking about the giant Nevermore that’s tailing us!”

“…That’s actually an Elder Nevermore! You can tell by its-”

“I don’t care! Get us out of here!”

* * *

Yang peered at the far-away object that was being tailed by a very large nevermore.

“Hm. Seems like Ruby.” She said nonchalantly. Blake was taken aback at Yang’s calmness. “Oh! It looks like she’s carrying Ice Queen!”

“How are you so calm about this?” Blake asked her crazy partner.

Yang waved a hand. “Psh, this isn’t new for Ruby. Plus I bet Ice Queen’s pretty light, so she wouldn’t be in any trouble.”

“And the grimm?”

“Well-”

“Look out below!”

Yang swivelled just in time to be barrelled by an incoming Ruby, as well as Weiss, who had been hanging on by Ruby’s hands. They all ended up in a pile a few metres away with Ruby on top.

“Whyyyyy…?” Yang groaned.

“Get off me, you idiot!” Weiss yelled at Ruby as she struggled to get free.

“Sorry!” Ruby apologized as she scurried to get off her white-themed partner. Weiss promptly hopped up and dusted herself off.

“ **NEVER** , do that again.” Weiss’ voice dripped with venom as she pointed a finger at Ruby.

“Which part?” Ruby asked.

“All of it!” Weiss shouted, which made Ruby hide behind Yang (who had gotten up) and make a squeaking sound.

Blake turned to Yang. “Did your sister just fall from the sky with Wiess Schnee?”

“I…”

Before Yang could continue, several crashing noises are heard in the forest ahead of them. They all turned to see an Ursa comes out, claws swiping, just as a pink blast of energy hits it in the back and it crashes to the ground, depositing its rider.

“YEEEE-HAAAAW!” A ginger-haired girl cried as she tumbled off the now dead Ursa before going back and inspecting the grimm. “Awwww... It's broken.”

Another person, a boy with black hair and a pink highlight, came running up and bent over to catch his breath, obviously having followed the ginger. “Nora! Please... Don't ever do that again.” He looked up to see his partner, only to find her missing. The partner in question was inspecting a white rook at the temple.

“Ooooh…” She quickly snatched up the rook. “I'm queen of the castle! I'm queen of the castle!” the girl sung as she balanced the chess piece atop her head.

“NORA!” the boy shouted.

“Coming Ren!” The girl, Nora, saluted before skipping over to him.

“Did… Did that girl just ride in on an Ursa?” Blake asked, becoming more confused by the minute.

“I think she did…” Ruby answered.

“I…”

Yang was once again interrupted, as a screech is heard from their right. They all look again, this time to see Pyrrha being pursued by a deathstalker as it uproots entire trees in its chase after her. Pyrrha narrowly dodges its giant claws and keeps on running.

“Jaune!” Pyrrha cried.

“Jaune?” Ruby questioned, “Where’s Jaune?”

“Right here,” Jaune answered, appearing beside her.

“Ah!” Ruby exclaimed, jumping back. “Jaune! When did you get here?!”

Jaune sighed. “I got tossed over here by that grimm that’s chasing Pyrrha.”

“And did she run all the way here with it on her tail?” Blake asked.

“AAAAAAAUGH!” Yang screamed in fury “I can't take it anymore! Can everyone just chill out for two seconds before something crazy happens again?!”

“Nope!” Ruby replied as she drew Executioner and Cremator and charged the deathstalker as Pyrrha dove in front of the rest of them.

“Shouldn’t we stop her?!” Weiss cried as she watched her partner rush the elder grimm.

“Nah, she’s fine. Look.” Yang dismissed it, pointing to Ruby.

The red reaper in question was unleashing a torrent of gunfire at the deathstalker, which had to bring up a pincer to shield itself from the soul-infused weaponry. In retaliation, it brought its stinger down to strike Ruby.

“Ruby!” all the bystanders except Yang called as they saw Ruby’s imminent death.

This idea was extinguished however when the deathstalker’s tail hit a glowing silver bubble surrounding ruby, invisible until touched. Ruby twirled Executioner whilst reloading it before unloading three shots into the tail, causing the grim to recoil in shock and pain. Using the grimm’s distraction, Ruby did what she had nicknamed a ‘Petal Step’ to appear behind the grimm and continued firing at its exposed tail. The deathstalker, now toughly enraged, swept its tail to hit Ruby, but only hit air as Ruby had vaulted the tail, propelling herself at the deathstalker’s exposed back. Stowing Executioner and Cremator, Ruby turned her projected shield back into soul energy, gathering it into her right fist as she pulled back and slammed the grim in the head, making a small crater beneath the grimm and cracking part of its carapace. Finally, using the grimm as a launchpad, Ruby rapidly backflipped back to the rest of the group.

Mouths were touching the floor.

Ruby turned back to her new friends and Yang.

“Okay! I brought us about a minute before that guy recovers, also, the nevermore has spotted us and is circling back.” Ruby looked to the others, “So, any plans?”

Weiss shook her head as she recovered from her surprise. “There's no sense in dilly-dallying. Our objective is right in front of us.”

“The artefacts!” Yang remembered, “Almost forgot about those.”

“So run and live?” Jaune asked, getting his answer in the form of several nods.

Ruby and Jaune each grab a chess piece before Ruby motioned the group to follow.

* * *

The eight huntsmen-in-training had gotten a fair distance away before the nevermore caught up to them.

“Incoming!” Pyrrha announced as the nevermore shot a barrage of feathers. Ruby clapped her hands together before aiming her palms at the incoming feathers. As they approached, they were caught another silver barrier, lost momentum and Ruby let them fall to the ground, Ruby left panting.

She was hitting her limit.

“Ruby! You okay?” Yang asked, rushing over to her little sister.

“I’m ***pant*** running on fumes ***pant*** here, Yang,” Ruby replied as she leant on her knees. Yang looked back up to the nevermore before getting an idea.

“How about Phoenix Dive?” Yang suggested. Ruby smiled in return, drawing Cremator and aiming it at Yang, much to the surprise of the group.

“Ruby? What are you…” Blake’s question was cut off by a shot from Cremator, making everybody flinch as Yang stumbled back.

“Aww Yeah!” Yang cried as her hair lit up and eyes turned red. Ruby, in turn, had stopped panting and was now shining a pale silver.

“What just happened?” Jaune asked, completely unaware of what exactly happened.

“Weiss! Blake!” Ruby abruptly called for her partner.

“Y-yes?” Weiss stuttered, still rattled from Ruby shooting her own sister. Blake simply raised an eyebrow.

“I need your help with this.” Ruby grabbed their hands, before taking off into the sky, Yang grabbing on to her ankle. The four remaining members of the group stared up at them until a crashing of trees distracted them. The deathstalker burst through the trees, now even angrier than before.

“Oh great.”

* * *

As Ruby hauled a shouting Weiss and a burning Yang higher, it was still a mystery to the heiress as to what the crazy sisters were going to do. Ruby began slowing down.

“Weiss, I need you to create a glyph for yourself and Blake to stand on. We’re going to make a slingshot.”

Weiss looked to Ruby, making a platform for herself and Blake. “And what exactly, are we going to fire from it?” Weiss asked, worried about the answer.

“Me,” Yang answered.

“WHAT!?” Weiss cried.

“Okay! 3…” Ruby began counting down as Blake tossed part of Gambol Shroud to her, keeping hold of its durable ribbon.

“Wait you’re actually…”

“2…” Yang smiled as Ruby flew with her a distance away from Weiss and Blake.

“Isn’t there any other…”

“1…” The sister said together as Ruby tossed Yang into the Ribbon, stretching it back.

Weiss sighed, relenting and creating a stasis glyph to aim at the nevermore as it began making a beeline for the airborne teens.

“GO!” Ruby commanded, and Weiss released the glyph, slingshotting Yang who curled up into a cannonball as she rocketed towards the grimm.

“ONE-TWENTY INCH… PYTHON!” Yang cried as she slammed her accelerated fist into the nevermore’s face, shattering it’s bony mask. The nevermore let out a death cry as it plummeted into the ravine below. Yang landed on the nearby cliff just as Ruby set down Blake and Weiss, who she was carrying.

“Well, that went... well,” Blake commented as she looked to the other three.

“I’ll say! Ruby and I have never done a Phoenix Dive that powerful before!” Yang grinned.

“You’ve done that before?!” Weiss balked.

“Hey look!” Ruby pointed, ignoring Weiss, “The others took care of the deathstalker!”

It was true, Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha and Ren had finished off the deathstalker who was now withering away.

“To be fair, you did punch that this pretty fucking hard.” Yang reminded.

“Pff, they did good! I was only aiming to stun it.” Ruby brushed off the compliment.

“Well, all in all, I believe we did quite admirably.” Weiss folded her arms in confidence.

That confidence was quickly shattered as the nevermore they had believed to be dead, raised over the cliff they had been standing up, reared to bring its beak down on Weiss.

“WEISS!” Yang called, not enough time to get her out of the way. But it was enough time for Ruby.

Ruby dashed between Weiss and the nevermore, eyes glowing furiously with silver energy that spilling out of them like wings. A bright flash blinded the three girls that were watching the scene unfold. When they could see again, they saw a grim glowing white, perching at the cliff. Weiss and Blake’s mouths were hanging open.

Ruby bowed to the… purified grimm(?) and bowed, which the nevermore returned. “Go, into the light and find peace,” Ruby told it. The nevermore raised its wings as it flew away, turning into specks of white dust as it flew until it was no more. Ruby turned back to her friends.

“Well guys, it has been a long day and I am now going to collapse from exhaustion.”

Ruby then remembered nothing more as she passed out.

* * *

**So that’s it for the initiation ark, I have a few requests for you guys, the readers, to do for me.**

  1. **Please tell me how I can improve my writing. What I mean by this is that I feel that my writing feels repetitive and dull to read, so any pointers on how you would like me to improve this would be great.**
  2. **I want you to be a part of this story! I want you guys to have a certain degree of control over this story since your in this train wreck just as much as I am. Simply leave a review telling me a general idea of what you want to see happen, and if I like it a lot/doesn’t conflict with the overarching story, I’ll include it!**
  3. **Like the point above, I’d like your contribution to the story; in the form of characters! I’d like to flesh out the Death’s Apprentice world a bit more, and for that I need characters, what better way than using my fans’? Just leave a short description of your character and their affiliations (they can be anew villain if you want), then I’ll either put them in the story or call a vote for them if I am indecisive. Please know that some may just be background characters, but they might not! So give it your all!**



**Thank you all for the early support of this fic, I hope it is at the front longer than my other ones because I’ve had a lot of fun writing it! I have a lot of twists and surprises planned so stay tuned for when those happen!**

**Kamiro… AWAAAAAYYYYYY!**


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